The Conversation From Hard Target That Was Cut Out

“We’re going to be hunting the deadliest prey.  MAN!”

“Oh.  Okay.  I see what you’re getting at.  But…I have kind of a question.”

“Go on.”

“Yeah.  See, probably some men are pretty deadly.  But I can’t help but notice that you’ve picked out a wino for us to hunt.”

“Yes, and?”

“Well…I don’t know that he’s much of a survivor.  I mean, he’s barely surviving as it is, and that’s mostly because of the sun burning and dehydrating him.”

“He’s wild.  Cunning!”

“I mean, maybe.  But we’ve got guns and stuff.  And 4-wheelers.  Look at his skin.  It’s yellow.  This guy’s jaundiced if not in total liver failure.”

“Prey is all the more deadly when cornered, friend.”

“Okay, fair enough.  I just kinda thought it was going to be a rhino or something.  Those things are scary as shit.  Have you ever seen a rhino running?  It’s like watching a mountain come to life and try to stab you with a horn.”

“If you’re questioning my methods, YOU could be up next.  IF you think that offers a special…challenge, you’ve been missing?”

“Oh, no.  No, I don’t think that really makes sense.  We don’t need to get into a person’s ability to criticize versus ability to create.  Sure, I’m not an airline pilot, but I can still recognize a rough landing.  Just because I can’t do better-”

“Okay, how about you shut the fuck up and we go kill a bum.  He’s had, like, 9 quarts of fortified wine.  He might just explode if he touches a flame.  He’ll never be more ready.  Let’s roll out!

“Fine.  But I’m not touching the corpse.  If you did a report on the types of hepatitis that dude is harboring you could teach a kid the entire alphabet.”